


don't feed it, it will come back

by caimani



Series: You Got Moves, I Got Shoes [2]
Category: Jonas Brothers, Waterparks (Band)
Genre: High School, Injury Recovery, M/M, Panic Attacks, Scars, Supernatural Elements, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26808199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caimani/pseuds/caimani
Summary: Joe's past traumas (and failures) come back to haunt him when a sand dragon begins terrorizing his new home.
Relationships: Joe Jonas/Awsten Knight
Series: You Got Moves, I Got Shoes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1955188
Kudos: 1





	don't feed it, it will come back

**Author's Note:**

> this comes later in the story/series but Im doing a october writing thingy so I had this written

“I’m not even supposed to be talking to you, you know,” Awsten says. “Mister Big Bad Scary Supernatural Hunter.” There’s nothing but playfulness in his tone. He’s leaned up against Joe’s side, giggling to himself every few seconds about whatever’s going on in his head. Out here on the edge of town, the moon is bright enough to light the road, and Joe can see more stars than he’s seen in months. It feels healing, walking along the road here.

Being here with Awsten just makes it all even better. 

“That’s your own rule, isn’t it?” Joe says, poking Awsten in the stomach and making him shriek. “You’re the boss around here. Or like, you’re like the future Wolf CEO. You can just change that.”

Awsten scoffs. “I definitely can. But will I? Maybe I like that rule. And maybe I like how I’m breaking it.”

“Aw, so you’re a criminal,” Joe says. “Is that your kink?”

Awsten cackles. “I can’t give my secrets away so easily, Joe. You’re going to have to try harder than that to interrogate me.”

Joe grins and grabs Awsten around the middle. He whispers quietly into Awsten’s ear, “You’re under arrest.”

“Oh my god,” Awsten says, squirming and laughing.

“For fraternizing with the enemy, going on ice cream dates with him, fencing with him but in the flirting kind of way, and making him feel butterflies in his stomach whenever he sees you.” Joe says, not letting Awsten go. Obviously, Awsten could shake him off easily if he wanted to, but all he does is wriggle around. 

“You’re the worst, oh my god,” Awsten says. “You’re under arrest too, for being so cheesy I’m gonna turn lactose intolerant.”

“That’s fine, you get me instead of lactose.”

“But that means no more ice cream dates,” Awsten points out. Joe lets him go.

“Well, if it’s for the sake of more ice cream in the future…” he says.

Awsten turns around to look at him, a bright grin across his face and the moonlight shining in his eyes. Joe’s chest swells at the sight.

But then Awsten’s smile disappears. His eyes widen and his hands move to grab onto Joe’s arms. In a second, Awsten manhandles Joe so he’s behind him. Joe stumbles at the sudden change of position (and the shift in the mood, too).

When he manages to orient himself again, he realizes why.

Crouched only yards away from them is a figure straight out of Joe’s nightmares. 

A dragon. 

Panic grips Joe and he stumbles over his own legs. He needs to get out of here. His mind is screaming in fear. He needs to. Awsten. Joe swipes his right arm out towards Awsten, trying and failing to grab the other’s shirt. To pull him back. They need to run.

“Run,” Joe chokes out. “Awsten, we need to run.”

“What—” Awsten whispers. 

Joe is shaking and he’s so fucking terrified. He wants to cry. But Awsten is here and Joe can’t let him get hurt. Not like how Joe got hurt, nearly a whole year ago. He needs to run, but he also needs to help Awsten. He needs to protect him. 

The dragon raises its head. It’s a dull sandy color, and it probably blends in with the dry landscape behind it. A sand dragon then. Joe’s never seen a sand dragon before, but he’s studied all of the common varieties and he’s had encounters with some of them . The old, massive river dragon, which over a dozen experienced hunters had to band together to take down. The juvenile coal dragon, which their parents dealt with, but showed Joe and his brothers the carcass afterwards. The swamp dragon that— 

“We need to run,” Joe says again. “We can’t fight that.”

“You stay back,” Awsten says. “I just need to shift and I’ll make it back off.” He doesn’t sound confident. 

Joe grits his teeth and grabs Awsten’s hand tightly. “Listen,” he whispers. “You can’t— those things are way too dangerous. I don’t know if we can outrun—” he freezes as the sand dragon takes another step closer. 

It’s on the road now, its claws making a terrifying tapping noise against the pavement. Its mouth opens up, showing off rows of long sharp teeth. Teeth that can— Joe shudders and clings tighter to Awsten.

“No, no, no,” he says, half sobbing. “Awsten please. We need to run.”

Awsten looks back over his shoulder at Joe. His lips are pressed together for a moment. Then he nods, a tiny movement but a noticeable one. “Okay. I’m gonna pick you up. Got it?”

Joe doesn’t have a chance to answer before Awsten is moving. He’s scooped up into Awsten’s arms in a bridal carry and several long bounds away in what feels like a fraction of a second. Joe puts his arms around Awsten’s neck and looks backwards. The dragon is following after them, of course. It’s horrifyingly nightmarish, with its head lowered and its body weaving back and forth like a snake. Its tail whips behind it. Joe remembers how the swamp dragon so easily split a metal boat in half with its tail. He shrinks against Awsten, who is somehow running at his fucking impossible sprinting speed while carrying Joe.

He’s amazing. 

Hopefully it’ll be enough to evade the dragon.

The dragon is rapidly gaining on them, though. 

“It’s getting closer,” Joe says. “Awsten!”

“Hang on!” Awsten says. He moves even faster in some unbelievable burst of speed. Joe looks forward, hoping Awsten is heading towards some kind of shelter. There’s the gas station, its emptiness illuminated by yellowing fluorescent lights. Joe breathes in sharply, then looks back at the dragon. 

It’s stopped moving. It’s still watching them, standing in the middle of the road, menacing as a tank. Joe shivers again.

Awsten runs with him all the way up to the door. He pauses only a brief second to open it, and then they’re inside. There’s a tired looking cashier lounging in a chair behind the counter who looks at them curiously.

Joe slides out of Awsten’s arms and sinks to the floor, shaking. “Oh my god, oh my god, we’re alive,” he cries. 

Awsten sits down on the floor with Joe. “Mari,” he says. “Can you get ahold of Mrs. Rocha? Just let her know I need a car out here.” Joe barely notices the cashier nodding and walking away before Awsten’s right in front of him, pulling him close and rubbing Joe’s back comfortingly.

“It’s alright,” he says. “It’s out there and we’re in here. You’re safe.”

Joe knows he’s breaking down, and he’s a little humiliated that it’s happening in front of Awsten, but he’s so overwhelmed that he mostly just wants Awsten to keep holding him. He almost got killed by a dragon. For the second time in his life. He just wants to cry and be thankful that he’s still alive. 

“I’m such a failure,” he says into Awsten’s shirt, unable to make eye contact. “A year ago, I was a failure, and I’m still a failure now.”

“It’s okay,” Awsten says. “You’re not a failure. You helped me. You were right, there was no way I could have faced off against that. Joe, it’s okay, we’re okay.”

“Awsten,” Joe cries. He feels so weak and pathetic. It doesn’t matter how much physical therapy he’s gone through. It doesn’t matter how much he teaches himself to fight with his left hand. He’s too scared now. He’ll never fight again. He’ll never be able to protect anyone, especially not himself. He closes his eyes and all he can see is the swamp dragon’s jaws snapping at his arm. The splashing water everywhere, painted red with Joe’s own blood. The horrible mangled remains of his arm after the dragon let go of it, which Joe thinks of every time he sees the scars and the warped, lumpy skin. 

“Shh,” Awsten says. “It’s alright. You’re safe. I’m safe. Nothing’s going to happen to us.” Quietly, he says. “Mari, do you see anything outside? On the cameras?”

A moment later, the cashier responds in the negative. “What am I looking for?” she asks. “Rogue wolf? Stalker? Or something worse?”

Awsten’s arms wrap around Joe, and Joe can’t help but lean closer in. He doesn’t think he’ll ever feel safe again, but he doesn’t feel like he’s going to get eaten immediately right here and now. 

“A sand dragon,” Awsten says.


End file.
